Diospyros virginiana 'Prairie Gem' (American Persimmon)

This unique and very attractive variety features delicious, light orange, sweet and tender fruit. Prairie Gem™ bears abundant crops of easy to pick, seedless Persimmons.

From the invaluable work of the late Jim Claypool, an amateur breeder and American Persimmon enthusiast, the following varieties are delicious examples of the best of this native American fruit.

One of the best native American fruits and hardy to minus 25 degrees F. This hard-to-find, grafted varieties produce bountiful crops of delicious, light-orange fruit. American Persimmon fruit is ready to eat when it is soft like a tomato and is great for fresh eating and for making delectable cookies, cakes, and other treats. American Persimmon trees are easy to keep 10-12 ft in height with pruning.

They like full to half day sun and can grow on most soils. these varieties are partially to fully self-fertile but all will bear heavier crops with a Male tree for pollination. Naturally pest and disease resistant, our American Persimmon varieties can produce 30 lbs. or more of fruit and often begin bearing the 2nd or 3rd year after planting.